What You Should Know About Disney’s Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Theme Parks

It’s nearly time to dust off your original edition lightsaber (just kidding – as if your lightsaber is dusty): The Disney theme park universe is ushering in a pair of new Star Wars-themed lands. There’ll be one on each coast and each will feature a space smuggler’s worth of fun, including rides aboard the Millenium Falcon, battle reenactments, interplanetary bazaars, and a whole lot of cosplay. The yet-to-be-named parks officially open in 2019. Since that’s still many, many parsecs away, here’s what you can expect to find.

Disney / Lucasfilm

Where They Exist On Earth

The 2 parks will be located at Disneyland in Anaheim, California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. At 14 acres large, the parks-within-a-park mark Disney’s greatest ever expansion. And, as depicted in recently commissioned renderings, the parks’ stellar designs look jump-out-of-your-frozen-carbonite-encasement cool.

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Where They Exist In The Star Wars Universe

You won’t journey to the same old Jakku or Dagobah system. At the 2015 D-23 Expo, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger said the park will exist on “a never-before-seen planet, a remote tradition port, and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.” While there’s no word on the actual planet, you can expect serious verisimilitude: Aliens and droids will freely roam and all employees will act as inhabitants of the region.

Disney / Lucasfilm

The Millennium Falcon Will Be Waiting For You

Two chief attractions will dominate the parks. The first offers park-goers a chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon. That’s right, pilot. Word is, you’ll be able to ride the fastest junk in the galaxy on a customized secret mission and, who knows, maybe you can complete the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. Details on the second are a bit murkier, but it involves being at the center of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance. Here’s hoping there’s a chance to go toe-to-toe with that whiny Kylo Ren.

Given the massiveness of Star Wars fandom, there’s been some concern over how the park will keep the lines moving at a reasonable pace. Luckily, Disney’s got another couple years to figure that out. In the meantime, practice your Yoda-inspired creative visualization techniques in the hopes that both rides will offer a FASTPASS®, just to be safe.

Disney / Lucasfilm

And So Will A Spaced-Out Street Market

Although there will be a cantina at each of the forthcoming parks, it won’t be that cantina (no, not that one either). But you still might run into a Wookie. Nonetheless, spacey food and drinks will dominate the scene (Hoth Chocolate, perhaps? Or Boba Fettucini?)

Similar to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the theme parks will have a street market where you can purchase planetary delicacies and unique tchotchkes. This Star Wars version promises to give Diagon Alley a run for its money. What even is the exchange rate for Galactic Credit to Galleons? Domhnall Gleeson probably knows.